


Rippin' N Runnin'

by BriMarie



Series: The Book of Love: Rini Drabbles [27]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Aged Up, Banter, Competition, Cute, Cute Banter, Cute competition, Drabble, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fun, Nini Salazar roberts - Freeform, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Playful teasing, Rivals, Rivals to Lovers, Some Humor, Strangers, Strangers to Lovers, Teasing, high school musical the musical the series - Freeform, hsmtmts, playful, ricky bowen - Freeform, rini - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27518437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriMarie/pseuds/BriMarie
Summary: Two competitive strangers start a trend of racing each other to the same bus stop.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Series: The Book of Love: Rini Drabbles [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757938
Comments: 16
Kudos: 41





	Rippin' N Runnin'

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this post on tumblr that was too cute not to write about: _so every morning I get off the train and start my 20 minute walk to work, and there's this guy who's like three steps ahead of me and always beats me to the street corner bc I get stopped by the light and he passes it. But today I was ahead of him for the first time and he RUNS in front of me turns around and goes, "I've been winning for two months now, can't stop now, have a good day, see you tomorrow." Tmrw I swear I'm wearing running shoes to work._

It all started when Nini had moved to NYC. She had no car before she entered the Big Apple which isn't too much of an inconvenience since most people use public transportation anyways, so she couldn't complain. 

She had been following behind a stranger who was tall and curly headed. She had only lived here for a month now, and he apparently had a similar morning schedule to hers. 

He was always a few steps ahead of her always beating her to the bus stop by a few minutes since she tends to get stopped by the traffic light. She never spoke to him before, but she noticed that he was quite the looker with his strong jawline, lean body, and honey eyes.

The most contact they've ever had is a polite head nod to acknowledge the other's existence since it seemed rude not to when you're the only two at a bus stop. They didn't even sit near each other on the bus, with him in the front while she usually chose the back. 

She never intended on communicating with him at all; that is until the second month arrived. She had gotten up a little earlier since she wanted to get a coffee on the way to work. She noticed that the curly headed stranger wasn't anywhere in sight.

She checked her watch and noticed she was at the light a little earlier than him for once. She didn't think much of it. As she walked on the crosswalk, the tall stranger zoomed passed her. She almost dropped her coffee at the sudden motion.

He turns his head over his shoulder and smirks when he gets to the bus stop before her. "I've been winning for two months now, and I can't stop now. See you tomorrow." 

She stared at him in disbelief, trying her best to think of a rebuttal. She didn't get the chance because the bus had pulled up before she could get a word in. He gives her a playful wink before hopping on the bus and taking his normal spot. 

She eyes him down as she makes her way to her spot in the back. She feels her competitive side begin to show up. He better be ready for tomorrow because she was bringing her running shoes and had no intentions on losing. 

***

Nini had woken up a tiny bit earlier that day. After work, she had done a few work outs to make sure she wouldn't cramp up too much when she runs. She had placed her heels in her bag for later. This stranger had no idea what he signed up for. 

She had sped walked up when she got to the spot where he usually would show up. She wasn't shocked to see that he had just turned from the corner he normally comes from. 

He had seemed taken aback by her and even more thrown when he noticed she had running shoes instead of her usual pumps. He walked directly beside her and tried to appear nonchalant about this.

He snuck a look at her before speeding up a little bit. She copied his motion keeping up with him despite the height difference. When he saw that she was still beside him, he began booking it.

She took a deep breath before sprinting right after him. He peered over his shoulder and smirked when he saw she was a good enough distance from him. Bystanders had looked at them weird, but both were too focused on the competition at hand. 

He had been three steps ahead of her when they got to the crosswalk. She saw that the countdown was counting down from 5, and he was already crossing the street. She almost made it to the crosswalk, but the countdown stopped and the light turned red before she could get in front of him.

She groaned when she realized she had been defeated. He smirked victoriously on the other side of the crosswalk. 

"Better luck next time!" 

She scowls at him, which only feeds into his ego. Oh how she wanted to wipe that stupid smolder off of his face. She knew she had to step up her game if she were going to beat him. He had the unfair advantage of having long legs, but that didn't mean she couldn't outsmart him. 

She had already begun brainstorming strategies on the ride to work and smirked when she thought of one. He may have won the battle, but she'd win the war. 

***

She wakes up the same time she did yesterday, and once again bumps into him when he turns from his usual corner. He greets her with a nod and a cocky look. She gives him a nod and a fake smile. 

She walks with a purpose beside him slowly starting to speed up her pace. He registers that and starts walking a little faster than her, which is exactly what she wanted. When they get to the light before the crosswalk, they both mentally prepare to race to the bus stop. 

When she saw the streetlight turn yellow, she readied herself for her plan. The second the crosswalk light permitted them to cross, Nini began groaning as she gripped her ankle.

The stranger gives her a concerned look and approaches her. "Are you alright?"

She scrunches up her face as she rubs her ankle. "I think so; it's just I think I may have twisted my ankle a bit on the way here somehow."

"Is there anything I can do?"

She nods as she sits up a bit straighter. "Yeah you can actually." She quickly straightens up and books it across the crosswalk while it was counting down from 3.

She laughs when she overhears him swearing behind her. When she made it across successfully, she looked behind her to see the stranger looking absolutely stunned and defeated across the street.

"That was a dirty move!"

She chuckles and shrugs. "Not my fault you're gullible. Besides, we never settled on rules.”

She blew him a sarcastic kiss. He playfully rolled his eyes and frowned, but she could tell he was trying his best to hide the smile growing on his face. 

She revels in her first victory since they started this silly race. Take that stranger. 

***

She ends up making herself wake up ten minutes earlier on weekdays now just to compete with him. She already had a couple of things up her sleeve just in case he gets in the lead. She made her way to the corner he normally appears from but was shocked to see he was nowhere in sight.

She raises a brow but realized he probably is either running late or somehow made it there before her. She waits for him to appear out of thin air somewhere on the way to the crosswalk, but he’s still MIA.

She ends up at the bus stop alone that day and wondered why he hadn’t been there. She’s never witnessed him miss a day since she’s moved here. She tried not to think much of it. Maybe he had a day off or something.

But then he doesn’t show up at the bus stop for a full week, and she was surprised she had been worried about him. She doesn’t even know the man’s name, yet here she is trying her best not to let her mind create scenarios that could explain his absence.

The following Monday, he ends up at the bus stop before her sitting on his usual spot on the bench. She’d normally be annoyed to see he had beat her once again, but today she had been relieved.

She sat down beside him and gave him a warm smile. “I see you finally decided to show up.”

He forms a crooked smile. “Yep, I’m back.”

“Where’d you disappear to? I thought you fell off the face of the earth somewhere. I was looking forward to kicking your ass.”

He smirked. “Awe did you miss me?”

She scoffed and tried to cover the rising blush on her cheeks. “Oh hush, I did not. I don’t even know you. I just hated that I couldn’t get my morning cardio to the bus stop; that’s all.”

He didn’t seem like he was buying it. “Mm hm sure.” He began fiddling with his tie. “If you must know, I was on a business trip. I’m here early since I wanted to grab breakfast before work.”

She nods as acknowledgment. “Just so you know, this doesn’t count as a win since you don’t usually get up this early.”

He lets out a hearty laugh. “Sure sweetheart.”

Soon after, the bus pulled up which she was thankful for because she found herself blushing after his random term of endearment. They both stood up and walked to the door. The stranger motioned for her to go first.

“After you.”

She gives him a polite grin before walking up the steps. On the ride to work, she caught herself glancing at the back of his head. As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she did miss his company last week. And she wasn’t sure what to do with that new information.

***

Today, her job had let them wear casual clothes. Most of her coworkers were excited because they could be comfortable, but Nini saw this as the perfect opportunity to dress in running gear.

She stretched and drank her morning coffee before skipping out of her condo ready to beat the handsome stranger. She had turned on his corner and peeked down the sidewalk to see him lagging a little behind than usual. 

His eyes widened a little when he saw her apparel and at the fact that she was ahead of him for once. She smirked before breaking off into a sprint before he could get a word in. 

She feels giddy as she approaches the crosswalk. She arrives at the light a few seconds before he does. They both took a breath. 

“You really came prepared huh?”

She nods as she fans herself keeping her eye on the light. “I came to win sweetheart.” 

The light turned yellow meaning they’d be able to cross soon.

He holds out his hand to shake. “May the best person win.”

She smiles and shakes his hand. “Oh the best person will definitely be winning. I can guarantee that.”

He holds up his hands in surrender before putting them down. They watched the crosswalk light switch to green. In a blink of an eye, both ran across the street with all their willpower. For a moment, he had the upper hand thanks to his stupid long legs.

There was no way in hell she was going down like this. Letting her motivation overcome her, she got ahead of him and made it to the bench before he did by mere seconds. The adrenaline and caffeine coursing through her veins numbed her breathlessness.

“Yes!”

He wiped off his forehead as he took a moment to catch his breath. When he got his strength back, he bowed down to her.

“Alright fine you win this round, but you better expect me to be on it tomorrow.”

“I’ll hold you up to that.”

The bus rolled in front of them. She made her way to her seat with a pep in her step. To her surprise, the stranger had followed her to the back. 

He pointed at the empty spot beside her. “This spot taken?”

“Not if you’re here to give me my prize for winning.” She teases as she pats the seat beside her.

He smiles as he sits. “What do you have in mind?”

She taps her chin. “Hm, how about you claiming that I’m the fastest runner in all of Manhattan? I think that’ll be a great prize.”

“It would be a nice prize, but I was thinking maybe I could take you on a date instead if you’re up for it.”

Her face became red at his suggestion. She felt her heart beating like crazy in her chest. She was truly speechless.

“Don’t worry; you won’t need to race me to the restaurant.”

That makes her giggle. “I’m free this Friday.”

He beams. “It’s a date.” He holds out his hand to shake. “I’m Ricky.”

She gently shakes his hand. She notes how well her hand fit in his and was surprised she didn’t notice the first time they did this.

“I’m Nini.”

“Well Nini, I can’t wait to get to know my racing opponent better.”

“Me too.”

They unknowingly don’t release hands for a full minute. They exchange numbers before his stop comes up. He says a quick goodbye and promises to text her before exiting the bus. She waved at him through the glass, and he winked at her as a response before entering his building.

She felt herself melt at his gesture and couldn’t believe this man had such a strong impact on her already. She found herself smiling for the remainder of the day as she thought about her upcoming date with this beautiful stranger that could soon become an essential person in her life. 

She has a good feeling about him, and she’s excited to see all the adventures he’ll take her on.

**Author's Note:**

> Dirty Little Secret won the little survey I made on both here and Wattpad. I'll try to cook up some more enemies to lovers and maybe some smut if it fits in well in the future.


End file.
